Province Canterbury Cathedral Worcester Cathedral Formation 680 | Diocese Worcester First incumbent Bosel | |
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The Bishop of Worcester is the head of the Church of England Diocese of Worcester in the Province of Canterbury, England.
The title can be traced back to the foundation of the diocese in the year 680. From then until the 16th century, the bishops were in full communion with the Roman Catholic Church. During the Reformation, the church in England broke away from the authority of the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church, at first temporarily and later more permanently. Since the Reformation, the Bishop and Diocese of Worcester has been part of the Church of England and the Anglican Communion.
The diocese covers most of the county of Worcestershire, the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley and parts of the City of Wolverhampton. The Episcopal see is in the city of Worcester where the bishop's throne is located at the Cathedral Church of Christ and the Blessed Virgin Mary. The bishop's official residence is the Bishop's Office, The Old Palace, Deansway, Worcester, Worcestershire. The bishops had two residences outside the city: Hartlebury Castle near Kidderminster from the 13th century to 2007 and a palace at Alvechurch until it was pulled down in the 17th century.
From the elevations of Saint Oswald of Worcester in 961 at Worcester and 972 at York, until 1023 the see was usually held jointly with the (then rather poorer) Archbishopric of York.
The current Bishop of Worcester is the Right Reverend John Inge, who signs + John Wigorn.